Friday, January 5, 2018

Hi everyone!
I'm really excited to have more posts up of reviews and swatches of products I have in my collection!

As you all know, I've always been big on purple shadows, so I was pretty excited to try this one out from Lancome. It's a cream shadow in a pot, reminiscent of the Colourpop super shock shadows. With that quality in mind, I found myself really disappointed with this eyeshadow. For a cream shadow, it was pretty dry and almost crumbly or grainy, as you can see in the swatch.

It applies okay on the eyes, but you do have to use your fingers and it is not as easy to blend out as the Colourpop ones.

Let me know what you want to see swatched next or recommend any products for me to review!
xo

Sunday, December 3, 2017

So excited to be doing Sample Sunday's again because I really enjoy getting into my box of sample products and testing them out! I was really intrigued to try this one especially because
1) it was a 2 step product
2) it's a fairly expensive product
And considering I have super dry skin, anything claiming to boost moisture and quench my skin sounds pretty good to me!

I'll get straight to the point. I was left pretty disappointed by these products. Of course, it was only a sample, so I can't speak to it's long term abilities, so absolutely take what I say with a grain of salt. However I noticed that my skin absorbed the (generous) amount of product I applied within minutes and my face felt dry and as if I had nothing on it within minutes.

I'm sure being able to try this product for a few days would have more of an effect on me, but since I have very dry skin and like a moisturizer that makes an impact on my skin without needing to be reapplied multiple times (especially at this price!!), I don't think I'd consider purchasing the full size of this.

Saturday, August 5, 2017

Those of you who know me (or have seen my makeup collection) know I adore Too Faced. My top favourite palettes are from them and I love their foundation. So it makes me a bit sad to write this review, because I didn't really like this product.

Okay, to be clear, I don't think this is a bad product. I just don't think it delivers what it claims to. I really love the formula of Too Faced's Melted lipsticks, but my issue with this metallic one is... well... it's not metallic?

As you can see in my (massive) swatch (I was trying to see if I could squeeze out some hidden melted metal magic, I suppose?), this is a very pretty grape purple with the very slightest (almost invisible) metallic sheen that is completely lost on the lips. It also does not go on opaque at all, so your lips basically look a streaky purple once you apply it.

If you work with it a bit, you can pull off a shiny vampy lip, but it's just too much effort to me for it to be worth it! Sorry Too Faced! 😭 I absolutely recommend the regular Melted lipsticks though! Those are amazing!

Sunday, July 30, 2017

I was looking though my stash of product samples and I got really excited when I saw this particular one. I have memories of using this particular cocoa butter cream years ago, when my mom had some while pregnant with my sister (this works wonders on stretch marks, apparently). I remember I used to love using this cream too because it smelled like a mixture of chocolate and marshmallows.

Having tried it again, I can see why this is a well known brand for solving skin dilemmas such as stretch marks. This is a very hydrating cream while also being super comfortable. Meaning: your skin will be silky soft without ever having that sticky feeling so many super hydrating body lotions seem to have.

Trying out this sample seriously has made me consider buying myself a bottle. This is such a great cream to have on hand in the summertime. Your freshly shaved legs will never be softer than when you use this afterwards!

But the question you're probably all wondering... does it really/still smell like chocolate and marshmallows? Sadly, I think my childhood knowledge of scents was a bit underdeveloped 10 years ago, because while this cream does have a sweet cocoa butter-esque scent, it's not quite s'mores scented!

Thursday, July 27, 2017

Okay, so lets talk deodorant. We all use it but we don't discuss it enough.

I've never been particularly loyal to any brand of deodorant. I picked out a new one basically every time I ran out of the one I used before. I wanted to get into trying a natural deodorant but I had the two basic worries I think most people have when it comes to these kinds of products;
1) Will it really work?
2) Which one should I try?

Luckily for me, I was sent the Natural Deodorant from the Green Beaver Company in a blogger box a little while back, so I didn't have to look too far. I decided to give it a shot, figuring I had nothing to lose.

Okay, but, this stuff is AMAZING. Here's why:

Firstly, Aloe Juice is one of the first ingredients in this deodorant, which means it feels super cooling when you apply it, which is so nice in the summertime!

It's also a clear, gel-like formula, so no need to worry about white marks on your black clothes. Yes, please.

I was a bit worried about the Lavender scent, since I find many lavender scents to border on old-lady smelling, but this one is very refreshing! It's nothing like I've ever used before, and I'm kind of obsessed.

Here's the deal: you will still sweat while using this. It is not (and does not claim to be) and antiperspirant. That's what makes it good for you; it's not clogging up your sweat glands and all that bad stuff. However you won't smell bad, which is what really matters.

Honestly, even though it's not an antiperspirant, I actually found that this product did minimize sweat a little bit. Obviously if you're sitting out in the sun or running a marathon, you wont exactly be bone dry, but I did notice a difference while wearing this compared to when I was not.

The Bottom Line: If you're also looking to make the switch to a natural deodorant, I absolutely recommend this one. I'm actually pretty shocked that I love it so much, and I think (gasp!) for the first time, I'll be repurchasing the exact same deodorant once this one runs out!

Note: This product was sent to me for review purposes. All opinions, as always, are 100% my own.

Monday, July 24, 2017

Hey everyone! Just stopping by today with a quick review on my new go-to foundation at the moment: an oldie but a goodie, the Rimmel Lasting Finish 25 Hour Foundation.
I won't ramble on too long about this product because I definitely could, so here is what I've noticed with it in the time I've been using it so far:

Coverage is medium but definitely buildable.

Finish is natural, almost dewy but not quite.

You need to set it with a powder because it will stay tacky to the touch even after a while.

It has a light, fresh scent that goes away very quickly after applying it.

Didn't cause me to break out or any irritation to my sensitive skin.

It felt very hydrating and comfortable; GREAT for dry skin types

Definitely lives up to the long wearing claim; lasts well through heat, humidity, sweat, etc.

Very light feeling on the skin, you don't even notice you're wearing foundation.

Bonus: FINALLY a drugstore foundation with a shade light enough for my non-tanned skintone (very fair skinned girls will understand what I mean!)

The Bottom Line

I love this foundation! While I wish I didn't have to set it with powder which can feel drying on my skin, it's otherwise super comfortable and everything I look for in a foundation! Plus it's drugstore, so you can feel good about the price. Definitely a must try for dry skin types looking for an affordable foundation. I'm not sure how well it would last on oily skin (let me know in the comments if you've tried it and have oily skin!!) but I think this is a great product.

Thursday, July 20, 2017

If you have dry skin, you're probably not stranger to using oils (and if you are, what are you doing?? Get on the train). The Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil was the very first oil that I used on my face and I've been obsessed ever since.

My favourite way to use this product is to mix in 2-3 drops into my daily moisturizer to add extra hydration. I've also applied it directly onto dry patches. It also works wonderfully on hair, cuticles and basically any dry area on your skin that needs some help.

It has basically no scent, doesn't irritate my sensitive skin and doesn't break me out. Sound like a miracle product yet? It should, cause it pretty much is.

Yes, it's on the pricier side of things, but you're getting a very high quality product and you can honestly feel the difference it makes in your skin, so for that, I can justify the splurge.

Sunday, July 16, 2017

As you all know, I have very dry skin which means I'm always testing out new products that may make my skincare journey a little bit more comfortable. I decided since I'm always testing out new products that I'll be sharing the best of the best of them weekly with you all, so those of you struggling with dry skin like me know what really works.

If you have extremely dry skin like me, you know that the only thing that can soothe it is a thick, balm-like cream, which is what I found when I tried out the Lipikar Baume AP+ and the Nutritic Intense Riche creams from La Roche Posay.

Now, let's keep it short and sweet because I could rave about these products all day.

The Lipikar Baume AP+ is a must have when your skin is having bad flare ups of dryness and just generally freaking out. This cream is thick but comfortable; your skin doesn't feel like it's suffocating under it. It also soothes any itchiness which is so relieving.

The Nutritic Intense Riche tells you all you need to know just in the name. It's a very rich, intensely moisturizing cream that is basically a thick, balm-like consistency. I only like to use this one at night because it is very heavy feeling and you may look a bit shiny while it's on. You really know your skin is getting the nourishment it needs with this one.

I also needed to give a shoutout to my new holy grail, the Micellar Water for Sensitive Skin. When my skin is having a particular tough time or if I use a product that doesn't quite agree with my skin, I tend to get dryness, flaking and sensitivity on my eyelids, which obviously isn't a great mix with eyeshadow. This Micellar water is super gentle, while still r
emoving all my eye makeup, waterproof or not.

The Bottom Line:

If you struggle with dry skin, definitely pick up these products from La Roche Posay. You will not be disappointed. I know this brand also makes products targetted towards mature skin, acne prone skin, etc. so even if you're not dry, take a look through their selection. I'm really loving these products.

Friday, July 14, 2017

Hey everyone! So I've officially been doing the Blogilates Beginner's calendar for 2 weeks now, and I'm having a lot of fun doing it! I'm always challenged, but I feel like comparing to myself 14 days ago, I'm already stronger.

The great thing for me, doing this calendar, has been that it kind of forces you to get up and be active. You really don't have to think hard about it, it's all planned out for you, just need to stick with it.

For those of you thinking about doing this, I really recommend it! I'm already so much more motivated to work out every day, I feel a lot stronger and more energetic every day and I'm loving it. Today's my rest day and I'm thinking of maybe working out for fun now...

Today's recipe was the Berrylicious Microwave Minute Muffin, which is actually such an interesting idea. I edited the recipe to be more tasty to me, because the basic 3 ingredient recipe sounded a bit like eggy oatmeal to me. For those wondering, I used: 1 egg white, 1/4 cup quick oats, 1 banana (mashed), 1 tbsp almond milk, 1/4 cup frozen mixed berries. I'll definitely make this recipe again when I need a quick breakfast. Maybe just omit the almond milk, because it was a bit on the soft side!

You guys.... can we take a second to talk about the Coastal Scents single eyeshadows (aka Hot Pots)? I didn't have the highest expectations for them, considering how affordable they are (and I mean AFFORDABLE), but wow... quality, pigmentation and blendability is on point.

Bottom line: if you're on a budget, you need some of these in your life. I recently picked up a TON of them (I owned 3, and bought another 12 or so during their recent sale) and I've decided to swatch them all for you because I'm just so in love.

Today we're swatching Atomic Apricot! (side not: can we appreciate the name? How cute and very fitting)

Definitely keep an eye on Coastal Scents because when their single shadows go on sale, they are $0.99 each... Crazy right! Look forward to even more swatches coming soon!
xo

Sunday, July 9, 2017

If there are two things I love, it's:
1) Trying out sample sizes of new products, and
2) Trying out a good hair mask
So how could I go wrong here? Answer: I could not, because this product is the bomb.com.

Okay, cheesy expressions aside, I have really thick and dry hair, so I adore deep conditioning masks. This one in particular I was a bit unsure about, since my hair is not necessarily damaged and needing repair, it's moreso just dry and (often) out of control.

I only got one use out of this sample, because, again, I have very thick hair, but believe it or not, just in that one use, I saw a difference! No joke, my hair was softer, less frizzy and easier to manage just after this one use. Amazing.

So, I'll definitely be purchasing a full size of this product because if it could make a difference in just one use, then this is a product I want in my routine for sure.

Wednesday, July 5, 2017

What's that? Another purple drugstore palette? Why yes, it is. I know the obsession is real and weird, but I am still on the hunt for the perfecr purple palette.

Just from appearance, can we talk about how pretty these shades are? The shade Violet is kind of a dream come true for me. It doesn't quite translate similarly from the pan to the lid, but it's still pretty to look at.

Lets talk abut the shadow. The main issue I have with this palette is that the pigmentation is just not where I need it to be. If you really want an opaque colour on the lid, you will need to spend some time working to build it up.

I really appreciate that there are some matte shades in the palette. You find plenty of purple at the drugstore but not so much matte purple, so props to Annabelle on that.

The shadows themselves lean on the more stiff and powdery feeling shadows, rather than the buttery, soft shadows that I tend to prefer. It doesn't look bad, but you will definitely need to spend a bit more time working with them if you want bold colour.

Annabelle 'Grape Vine' Swatches

The final verdict: This is a fairly average palette. It's unique to me because very few drugstore brands (if any at all?) offer matte purple eyeshadow like this, however the formulation is very typical of drugstore quality. Not the best, but not bad by any means.

Sunday, July 2, 2017

Hey everyone! So I'm back to reviewing products from my sample stash and I was SO excited to try this one out, considering how hyped up it was. This product has made it's way around the beauty community and everyone raves about how good it smells, so I was pretty excited to give it a shot.

This stuff has the most exotic, unique scent I've honestly ever smelled. To be honest, I don't think I could even describe it. It's the most sexy combination of sweet and spicy, you need to smell it for yourself if you haven't.

The cream itself was very light but absolutely provided moisture to my skin which I loved. Not greasy at all, almost whipped in consistency. It also leaves a really nice shimmer all over your skin, so you basically glow like a goddess when the light hits you.

This is definitely not an every day moisturizer (considering firstly the price and the fact that there is shimmer in it), but a great luxury item to have for when you're going out. I'm definitely going to be purchasing a full size of this item (when it's back in stock on the Sephora website!)

Friday, June 30, 2017

Hey everyone! For the past little while I've been making an effort to swatch some of my older palettes because
1) They're so pretty and who doesn't like to look at pretty makeup?
2) It reminds me of some of the pretty palettes I own that I don't use nearly enough

I picked the Lise Watier Eden Tropical palette at a warehouse they had a while back (for those of you who don't know this about me: I'm a huge sucker for a good warehouse sale). How pretty are the shades in this palette?

It definitely isn't the most wearable palette on it's own. There are no matte shades in this palette which can be a drawback for some people. Regardless, it swatches nicely if a little bit powdery, and the pigmentation on the lid is pretty good. I'm definitely going to try using this palette more this summer.

Thursday, June 29, 2017

Hey guys! So I was lucky enough to be sent the Revlon Mega Multiplier mascara for free from Influenster in return of a review, and I've been so excited to try it out! I'm always up to try a new mascara from the drugstore.

The package claims that the product will give you an "oversized lash look" which obviously intrigued me a lot. However as you'll see in the close up pictures further down, the product didn't really give me that false lash effect.

I really enjoyed the packaging itself. The black part is a sleek, matte texture similar to what you see on Nars packaging, and the top is a vibrant blue plastic.

I was definitely drawn in by the wand of it. One of my holy grail mascaras is the Essence Lash Princess mascara (and it's only like $5, pick it up, friends) and it has a wand nearly identical to this one. So first impressions were promising for this product.

The Final Verdict
I think that this is a great mascara for every day lashes. It added length, but not so much volume. It didn't clump at all, even with a second coat on top, so it gave the lashes a very nice, natural, fluttery look. It definitely doesn't give any kind of oversized or false lash look though.

What I didn't like about this product actually had nothing to do with how the product wore. In fact. what I disliked the most was the process of removing it. When I used my eye makeup remover on this product, it dissipated into a million tiny black particles that stuck all over my face! I think I had to wash my face twice just to get rid of all the little black specs from my face. Not a deal breaker, but definitely annoying.

So, if you're looking for a good every day mascara, definitely give this one a shot. It will make your lashes look very pretty. But if you want something that will make your lashes look huge and almost false, I wouldn't recommend this one.

If you'd like to join Influenster to get free stuff like this to review, you can sign up here! I highly recommend it! It's completely free to join too!

Disclaimer: This product was sent to me for free by Influenster for review purposes. As always, all opinions are 100% my own.

Saturday, June 17, 2017

Those of you who have been following my blog for a while know about my persistant journey to find the best drugstore purple eyeshadows. This journey is what lead me to pick up the L'Oreal Colour Riche Eyeshadow Quad in 'Stacked Heels'.

The shades in this quad are right up my alley but of course purple shadows are not easily done, so as stunning as they look in the pan, they don't quite translate that well on the eyes. As you can probably see in the picture, the shadows are a bit stiff and powdery, which definitely affects the pigmentation.

The white shade in the quad is also on the chalky side. I still think that this palette is workable, and with some patience and work, you can make a beautiful look with this quad. It will just take a bit longer and more product to build up the desired pigmentation.

So, overll, is it my holy grail, hidden gem purple eyeshadow of the drugstore? Not really. But still something I see myself occasionally using.

Tuesday, June 6, 2017

Hi everyone,
So if you've spent a little time on my blog before, you know I struggle with a lot of issues with my skin, mostly eczema related. Finding a good cream to help you out is always very hit or miss, but I love trying out new products in hope of finding a good one.

I was definitely very excited to try out the Calendula Intensive Skin Recovery cream from Weleda since I've been trying to steer myself towards more natural products to help out my skin and replace my steroid creams for good.

This cream surprised me - in a good way. It did not necessarily do anything miraculous for my eczema, but I noticed that while using this cream, my skin was healing much better than before. There was one particular rough area on my ankle that had been causing me issues for MONTHS and nothing would make it better; not even hydrocortisone. I used this on it for a week, and the difference was immense. After 2 weeks, it was completely healed.

All this to say, I really do think this cream has made a difference in my skin. It's not an immediate transformation but it definitely does wonders if you stick with it. I love it.

What's your ultimate skin-fix? Let me know in the comments!
xo

Note: This product was sent to me for review purposes. As always, all opinions are 100% honest and my own!

Monday, June 5, 2017

Hey everyone!
Lets talk empties; the products I finished up in the month of May. I love these kinds of posts because 1) you know you're getting a good review of a product when the person has completely used it up and 2) there's just something so satisfying about a fully used up product, isn't there?

I didn't finish too many products this month, but I'm still pretty pleased about what I did use up.

-Benefit 'Porefessional' Primer (small/deluxe sample size)
This primer was just okay for me, and I likely won't repurchase it. I'm someone who enjoys more hydrating primers, so this sillicone feeling type of primer isn't always my cup of tea.

-Essence Lash Princess Mascara
Ugh, I love this stuff so much. How can a product so damn affordable be this good? I already repurchased this!

-Annabelle Skinny Brow Liner
This was a decent brow pencil. Definitely a really good affordable option if you don't want to spend a fortune on brow products (ABH Brow Wiz, why must you hurt my wallet so?)

-L'Oreal Youth Code Skin Recharger Day/Night Cream
I was surprised at how much I adored this face cream. It had a cream texture but absorbed like a gel. Really refreshing to use and hydrating without being greasy. A really solid drugstore choice.

-Olay Fresh Effects 'Out of this Swirled' Exfoliator
Still confused as to if this line is still around/for sale (??) but I loved this. It can be a bit drying, so pair with a good moisturizer, but it exfoliated well and leaves you skin feeling very refreshed and cool.

Sunday, June 4, 2017

Welcome to the first ever Sample Sunday! I have so many (so, so many) sample sizes of products and I've always wanted to review them, but it felt kind of out of place, since I only really get to try the product a handful of times, depending on the size of the sample. So I decided to start Sample Sundays, where once a week I can give my first impressions of whatever sample sized product I try out.

Those of you who are not new to my blog know that one of my top skincare concerns is my dark, dehydrated under eye area. So for this reason, I LOVE getting samples of eye creams, since I still haven't found my holy grail, cure-all, problem solver eye cream yet.

This eye cream had me very intrigued since I've never really tried anything from Caudalie before. I also became even more intrigued when I saw how much a full size of this product costs; $110 for 0.5 oz! So it was one of those odd scenarios where I had extremely high expectations but also hoped I wouldn't fall in love with it because, damn, that's some expensive stuff.

I will say, this was the most luxurious feeling cream I've ever applied onto my eye area. It feels so light, almost whipped in texture, but you can tell it's providing moisture. It doesn't get absorbed too quickly, which I don't mind too much since I generally apply my eye cream before bed (and maybe a light layer before my makeup).

So I went to bed that night feeling thoroughly impressed with this super luxe feeling eye cream that would likely perform miracles overnight... And when I woke up, my under eye area was even more dehydrated than before I applied the cream!

I got about a weeks use out of this sample and noticed the same thing every time. I would apply the cream, which was very soothing and seemed hydrating, and woke up to Sahara desert dry under eyes.

So yeah, overall, I was not impressed, and I won't be running out to purchase a full size of this product.